We've had several questions asked recently. Here are the answers.
Question: Is there a Kindle (Android) version of Istation to install for use on the Kindles?
Answer: The Istation development
team is currently analyzing and monitoring the demands and feasibility of
release on various Android devices. The goal of Istation is to be able to
deliver its products on all the industry standard platforms. Future
Android development plans will be forthcoming.
Question: Is
there a report in Istation that can show all the kids that have not completed
the initial assessment (campus wide)?
Answer: No, but I will ask the company regarding this request.
Question: From the Classroom page, when I click the ‘Incomplete’ filter on the top to see who has not completed the Spanish Test, it does
not work. What is the problem?
Answer: Because the English Assessment cannot be deactivated for
students and it displays on the Classroom page, if the students take only the
Spanish Assessment…..the English Assessment will display as “Incomplete”.
The Filter button displays ALL students with an Incomplete assessment for BOTH English and
Spanish. Thus, it doesn’t accomplish the task that you want of filtering
ONLY Spanish Incompletes (rather than BOTH tests.) I will consult with the company about the possibility of adjusting
this Filter so that it allows for choosing either the Spanish or the English
Assessment, but not both.
Question: If a class (section) is completely removed from a campus, the "old" class remains in the classroom list. How can it be removed?
Answer: The removal of classes no longer used (deactivated) at a campus can only be done by a Campus or District Manager. Click Classrooms at the top right. Click Add/Remove on the left. Click Remove by the class/section name. Click Yes.
Question: Why do students remain in classes that they transfer out of? Why are they not removed from these "old" classes?
Answer: In Istation’s auto update process, students are not
removed from previous classes if they, for example, transfer to another class
on the same campus or transfer to a new campus within the district. And the
removal of students from their previous class can only be done by a campus or
district manager. See instructions on the next question.
Question: How can students be removed from classes in which they are no longer enrolled?
Answer: Only Campus or District Managers can do this. Click Classrooms at the top right. Then, click the class name from the list. Click Add/Remove Students on the left. Scroll to the bottom and click Remove by the student's name. Click Yes.
· Question: Is
it possible to set up a separate group for our 4th Grade recent
immigrants? If so, how?
Answer: Manual classes can be set up in
Istation and students can be enrolled in multiple classes. However, these class
enrollments will not update with the nightly uploads. In addition, only
students who are already in the system should be added; none should be manually
added. Also, see next question and answer re: Spanish for 4th grade students.
Question: It is possible to assign the Spanish
components to 4th graders?
Answer: Yes The 4th grade
students can be assigned the Spanish component with no problems using the
Manage Subscriptions area like we do for other students. We have unlimited
licensing even though it doesn’t officially cover that grade level.
From a curricular perspective, I
would point them to a specialist to make sure this is in the best interest of
the student. I would not want to advise a teacher in this area….
· Question: How
do we go into the preferences and change the grade level of a student?
Answer: Changing the grade level in preferences
will not help as the grade will update each night to the correct grade level.
· Question: Is
it possible to add a SPED teacher so he/she can see the students they work
with?
Answer: Yes. But only your Campus Manager can do this.
Question: Can ISIP scores be deleted for a student (example: student took English version by mistake)?
Answer: No
Question: Is there a report that shows Grade Level
Equivalency?
Answer: Yes. The Grade Level Equivalency shows on the Student Summary Handout, with some limitations.
- Spanish version
only has Overall Reading Grade Level Equivalency.
- English version
has Overall Reading and Text Fluency Grade Level Equivalency only.
- A request has been made for display of Grade Level Equivalency for all skills and Overall Reading and that it be
available in the English and the Spanish reports.
Question: Students are missing in Istation (even though they have been enrolled since day one). Can the Campus Manager manually add the student into Istation so he/she can be assessed?
Short Answer: Please try to wait as long as possible
before adding this student manually to the Istation system via the website.
Long-Winded Answer:
Here is an overview of the situation:
1. The state does not assign a TSDS (UID) number
for a new student from out of state or out of country until all required fields
are completed by the campus/district.
2. Until the TSDS (UID) number is assigned to the
student(s), they are not auto-uploaded into Istation.
3. Students cannot be manually entered into
Istation by campus personnel without entering a TSDS number.
4. And although a “fake” TSDS number can be
manually entered into Istation, this is not a best practice for entering students
into Istation.
All of these circumstances result in the following
situation:
5. Since we have some students who, although
enrolled since day one, don’t have a TSDS number assigned to them, teachers are
not able to test the student using Istation because they do not have an
account.
6. PISD PEIMS department has given the elementary
campuses a five-day (business day) window to “clean up” the missing fields for
students on their campuses. This
five-day window ends on September 11
7. As a result, the 400+ students who are currently
without a TSDS number could be reduced significantly after this date. As a result, they will be
auto-updated/enrolled into Istation after the TSDS number is assigned.
8. After September 11, there will continue to be a
concerted effort by the campuses and the PEIMS department to rectify any
missing fields so that the state would then provide a TSDS number for each
student that doesn’t have one.
Question: At the
Intermediate Level (7th-8th), will the student-issued
tablets present any problem for the student as they complete the Istation ISIP
Assessment?
Answer: No as long as they
use the glide (mouse) pad to move the mouse and the left/right click on the
keyboard to make their choices on the screen. Using the touch screen capability
of the tablet will still work, but a minor and possibly confusing and/or
annoying sound problem will occur if they use the touch screen and not the
keyboard.
Question: Can we manually
create a class in Istation and enroll students? Example might be a Test
Prep class, etc.
Answer: Yes, but only the
Campus Manager can do this. If you need
assistance, feel free to email or call Emily Bourgeois or Christy Foster.
Question: Can a teacher
turn off Books Button on the Desktop Application so that when the student logs
in he/she doesn’t have this as a choice?
Answer: Yes. Teacher logs
into Istation website---Click Classroom---Click Pencil icon by the word About
on the left---Make sure that the radio button by “Student Access to Online
Books?” has a filled circle next to “Only with a teacher’s password”.
Question: Does the Writing
Button show as a choice when the student logs into the Desktop Application at
the 5th-8th grade level?
Answer: Yes
Question: How can I add a teacher to my class so he/she can see my student results and/or print reports about their progress?
Answer: Only Campus or District Managers can add teacher(s) to your class in Istation.
Here is how they can do this:
Scenario: You co-teach with another teacher (or teachers) at
your campus. You would like for this
teacher to have access to your student homeroom list so he/she can see their
progress, etc. In this case, you can add
the teacher to your class so he/she can have access to it.
1.
Go to www.istation.com
2.
Click Customer Login and enter your Istation
Username and Password
3.
Click Classroom at the top right
4.
Click the Pencil/Paper icon on the left near the
word About
5.
Click the drop menu by Teacher Name
6.
Click the Teacher’s name that you would like to
add to your Homeroom.
7.
Click Add Teacher
8.
When the added teacher logs in, he/she will see
all Homerooms to which they have been assigned or added.
9.
Using the same steps, you can also remove a
teacher who has been added to your Homeroom.
Question: What is the
latest possible date we can assess our students using Istation in order to meet
the submission deadline for the At Risk Report that goes to the state?
Answer: September 26
Question: I am a Bilingual
Teacher (PK-3rd). Which test should my students take?
Answer: Spanish
Question: I am a Bilingual
Teacher (PK-3rd) and my students have completed the Spanish test. Can they also
take the English test? Will this create any problems?
Answer: Yes they can. No
it will not create any problems because the reports are separate for English
and Spanish.
Question: I am an ESL
teacher. Which test should my students take?
Answer: English
Question: I am an ESL
teacher with Spanish speaking students who have completed the English test. Can
I also give them the Spanish test? Will this create any problems?
Answer: Yes then can. No
it will not create any problems because the reports are separate for English
and Spanish.
Question: I am a Dual
Language teacher. Which test(s) should my students take?
Answer: Each student
should take the test that corresponds with their “first language”.
Question: I am a Dual
Language Teacher and my students have completed the test associated with their
first language. Can they also take the other language test? Will
this create any problems?
Answer: Yes they can. No
it will not create any problems because the reports are separate for English
and Spanish.
